


Giving in

by PerriewinkleNerdie



Category: Open Heart (Visual Novel)
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-10-14 20:50:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20607113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerriewinkleNerdie/pseuds/PerriewinkleNerdie
Summary: Rewrite of chapter 15 with additional scenes





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, hello, hello!  
I planned on getting the whole rewrite of chapter 15 up in one go, but because I got so carried away, it got way too long to post it in one post, so I chopped it :D  
Part 2 and 3 contain NSFW scenes  
Enjoy! <3

Ethan was tired. The last couple of days have been one the most difficult ones he ever had to endure. Naveen’s situation was giving him headache, made him feel so helpless. It seemed as though all the things he’s ever achieved were for nothing. They gave him nothing. And left him with nothing.

He couldn’t save his mentor. He couldn’t save Dolores.

And now, he couldn’t save Claire either.

When he heard about the ethics hearing, his first reaction, the first thing he did was grab his car keys and drive to Harper’s apartment, not thinking too much about it. She opened the door, surprised to see him there. Stepping aside, she let him in, closing the door wordlessly.

“So, I imagine you didn’t come to say hi. What is going on?” she started the water for tea and pointed towards the chair, letting him sit down.

“Tell me about that ethics hearing.”

“Straight to the point, as always.”

If it wasn’t for the fact that she knew him for so long, the haunted look in his eyes would have escaped her. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, she knew him, she knew how his brain worked, and all it took was one look at him to know that he was in too deep to get out.

He was lost in his intern.

“I need to know everything. Please.” His voice sounded desperate. He was aware of that.

And so, she told him about everything. Or, at least, everything she knew. There was sure as hell more to the story, that she was yet to find out about, but for now, she gave Ethan everything she knew.

When he found out that the preliminary hearing was only a few hours prior to their conversation, he felt an unsettling squeeze of his stomach. He should have been there for her. Even if only to see her.

“I want to testify for her. I knew what happened, she told me about it the evening of the day we got the information of Teresa’s passing. Tell me the time and place, I’ll be there.”

There was newfound determination and hope. He could help her, that he could do at least.

“_No, you won’t. _I’m sorry, Ethan, but I won’t let you testify.”

“What? Why?” his eyes were drilling holes into Harper’s face, upset and mad.

“Because you’re biased. You can deny it all you want, you can like it or not, I frankly don’t care. What I do know for a fact, is that you care for _her_. Maybe even a little too much. It’s ethics hearing, Ethan. I need the witnesses to be as withdrawn from the situation as possible. You, however, are not. You are so tangled in with her that one look from you towards her and your arguments, your whole testimony would fall short. I’m sorry. I can’t let you testify.”

_After all, he couldn’t save the people he cared about._

\-----------

His finger is hanging over the button. The only thing he needed to do was press it. That’s all it took. His whole body was aching for her, he knew he had to talk to her. He _needed_ to talk to her, or he’d go insane.

Staring at his phone wouldn’t get him anywhere. He knew that. The longer he stared at the display, the more his confidence, or what was left of it, faltered, leaving behind only a trace.

“I knew I should have called her immediately.” He muttered under his breath, beating himself up for it.

He was about ready to throw his phone on the ground and leave it, when he saw three dots on the screen, a sign of an upcoming message.

_‘Ethan, I need to talk to you.’_

Knowing her as well as he liked to believe he did, she’d want to engage in a conversation, and he quite frankly couldn’t think of a worse thing than texting in that moment.

His fingers pressed the space on the display where he could type in his message. A keyboard appeared, small squares with letters. _How can anyone write with those?_

He felt incredibly stupid for doing this. He was a strong believer of actual conversations over the written messages, but right now, he didn’t have a choice. He had to suck it up and do his best not to humiliate himself more than he already was.

Awkwardly moving his fingers over the glass pane of his phone, he began typing. Letter. By. Letter. Slowly, a message came together before his eyes.

‘_I hate texting._’

He sent it before he could reevaluate what he actually wrote. His face twisted with regret and he began writing another message, longer this time, conveying more information.

‘_If you want to talk, come by my place. I prefer talking personally._’

He threw his phone on the couch when he realized what he just did. It happened again. On and on, every time he thought he had his mind in the right place and he was able to make conscious decisions, here she appeared, blinding him like the brightest star in the universe, making it impossible for him to see anything else.

He stood up from his place on the floor, planning on getting something to eat, when a soft sound rang through the air. He grabbed the device and turned the screen towards him, reading her words with care. A soft smile appeared on his face.

‘_I’ll be there._’

\-------

He tried sleeping. He tossed and turned in his bed multiple times, trying every technique he had up his sleeve, but nothing worked. It was all in vain, because he had so much on his mind, there was no way he would be able to turn off. So instead, he opted for just laying there, staring at his ceiling, pictures running before his eyes.

His quiet contemplation lasted for a solid forty-five minutes. After that, he decided that he needed to eat something, and he definitely needed a drink.

He stood by the window, watching as the city lights came to life, illuminating the dark patches right before his eyes. It was quiet, peaceful.

The silence was interrupted by the sound of the buzzer. There was a moment of confusion, until he remembered that she was supposed to come by. He moved towards the door, opening them widely.

Her face was neutral, but he knew the signs of worry and exhaustion when he saw them. He was well-accustomed to both.

The first thing he noticed, other than her eyes, was the choice of clothes. They made him snort, his eyes dragging themselves all over her body, starting at her feet and moving upwards, taking in the way the dress was hugging her body tightly. His mind started wondering what did she look like underneath the material, not the first, and certainly not the last time, no matter how much he tried denying it.

“Did you join a cult?”

“A country club.” She smiled at him softly, knowing what his opinion on those would be.

“Same thing.”

“So… how have you been?” she’s searching for his eyes, but doesn’t get a chance to look into them, because he’s already turned around.

His bitter laugh trailed behind him as he went ahead to the living room. She closed the door behind them and followed him.

“You mean how has early retirement been? Not what all those investment ads make it out to be.” He says, grabbing a half-empty bottle of scotch, pouring two glasses.

“That looks expensive. Sure you want to share?”

“It sounds like you need one. I heard your preliminary hearing didn’t go too well.”

He stretched his arm out towards her, holding out the glass. She hesitated for a moment, eyeing the glass, before deciding.

“Gimme that.”

“That’s what I thought.” He smiled triumphally.

She reached out for the glass at the same time as he handed it to her. Their fingers brushed against each other, sending sparks and shivers up his arm. He raised the glass up for a toast.

“To early retirement… likely for us both.”

He didn’t miss the way her eyes rolled, but she clinked her glass against his, regardless. She frowned, avoiding eye contact.

“So you already knew about the hearing?” her voice was small, uncertain.

“Obviously.”

“Then why the hell haven’t I heard from you? have you already written me off as a lost cause?” with every word she said, her voice revealed a new layer of her emotions_. Confusion. Disappointment. Pain…_

“Of course I haven’t…”

_… and anger._

“But you couldn’t be bothered to reach out? Not even a text?” her voice dropped a few octaves, her words loud and clear.

“I told you, Herondale. I hate texting.” He said after a second of silence, almost as if he tried to think of what to say.

“_Herondale? _Not ‘_Rookie’_? Why are you being so cold?” now her emotions changed. For a moment she didn’t sound angry.

She was _hurt._

Ethan took a swig of his drink, looking away. Anywhere, as long as not at her. He couldn’t bare to look at her and see all those things, reflected in her eyes.

“You _know_ I’m a good doctor! You _know_ you could help me.” She was angry again, the pain he saw in her was nowhere to be found.

“I can’t” his voice broke, still unable to look her in the eye and admit that he was a failure.

“What’s happened to you? I came to Edenbrook to learn from _the_ Ethan Ramsey.”

The conversation was getting heated, they were walking, dancing around one another, unable to stand still. Somewhere in the middle of it they steered toward the kitchen, maneuvering around furniture.

“This _is_ The Ethan Ramsey. The man who can save anyone except the people he gives a damn about. Not Dolores. Not Naveen. And not you.”

The words just flew out of his mouth and his eyes widened slightly at the realization of what he just said. What he just admitted, confessed.

She didn’t seem to register that, though, because the next thing he knew, her finger was stabbing his chest, her face close to his. Her emotions visible as day in her eyes. He could feel the frustration and hurt she felt radiating from her.

“Maybe you quit. But you taught me not to. So I’m fighting back. With or without you.”

Ethan grabbed her hand, pulling it away from his chest, but not letting go, grabbing her other wrist too, keeping her restrained against the kitchen island.

Now, he was angry too.

“Don’t you think I’d help you if I could?” his voice was low, it conveyed his frustration.

“Then why…”

“I already told Harper I wanted to testify for you and she refused. She says I’m too biased, and you know what? She’s goddamn right! So stop asking. I don’t work there, and soon neither will you.”

The weight of his words was slowly setting on them both, as he realized how much of himself he’s revealed in the fit of passion and anger. Claire was staring at him, eyes wide.

“Ethan… what are you saying?” her voice stammered on his name, uncertain of what he was implying.

“I’m saying I’m not your boss anymore and that means… that means…” he trails off, their eyes meeting again. The meaning of the situation they currently were in dawning on them both.

Suddenly, both of them are aware of his delicate touch on her wrists. Of how his body is pushing hers against the kitchen island. Of how they seem to be fitting one another perfectly, almost as if they were made to be together, two matching pieces of the same puzzle, finally connected.


	2. II

Then, in a sudden surge of passion, their lips met. Neither knows who made the first move, all they know is that one second they were staring, their eyes locked, and the next, they were devouring each other, an unknown urgency in the way their lips were meeting.

He let her wrists go, using his body to keep her pressed against the counter, while his arms wrapped tightly around her, bringing her even closer to him.

Their kiss broke, both breathless, panting, but neither took a step back.

“I want you… You have no idea how much I’ve wanted you…” his words were a strangled groan.

“I’m here. Nothing’s stopping us anymore.”

Hearing her say that was liberating. He felt the pressure in his chest dissipate slowly, feeling lighter with each moment that passed.

He let his hands travel down her body, skimming her backside, squeezing lightly, before settling on her thighs. Using his strength, he lifted her up, pressing her to him, securing his hold on her.

Her legs parted, bringing him closer to her, locking her ankles behind him. His lips went back to hers, kissing her with purpose, as he carried her to his bedroom.

The walk to the room was supposed to be a short one, but her actions distracted him quite effectively.

Her hands reached between them, pulling his shirt out of his pants. Rising it, higher and higher, she revealed more and more of his skin. Holding on to him, she helped him out of the material, one arm, then another, throwing the garment behind her in haste.

Her eyes moved over newly exposed part of his body, drinking in the sight. She moved her hands, starting at his shoulders and moving downwards, slowly tracing the lines of his muscles, watching as they tensed and relaxed under her tender touch.

“Claire…” a sound escaping his lips sent a shiver down her spine and shot a spike right through her core.

He put her down on the ground, but she didn’t let him get too far away. Clinging to him, she pressed her nails into the skin of his back. His actions made her delirious, got her wondering if it was really happening.

As much as he wanted to have her, then and there, his need to cherish and worship her was greater. His lips went back on hers, pressing hot, longing kisses, talking their breaths away.

His hands traveled back up her body, reaching for the sweater wrapped around her shoulders. He undid the know, carefully and painfully slowly, never breaking the kiss.

Once that was taken care of, his fingers skimmed over the line of pearls around her neck. His lips left her lips, kissing down her neck, drawing short, breathless moans that made his body react and come alive. She rolled her head back to give him better access to her skin.

Ethan moved around her, nipping at her neck continuously until her stood behind her. His fingers found the clasp of her necklace, playing with it. meanwhile, his lips seamed to have found a soft spot of hers, because each time he touched, kissed or bit the skin behind her ear, her moans and sighs of pleasure got louder and, seemingly, more desperate.

The necklace relented, giving in to the movements of his fingers. He took it off, tracing the place where it used to be in with his fingertips, teasing her collarbone.

He made his way back to face her, his eyes focused on her body in the dress. She bit her lip, feeling hot trails of fire everywhere his eyes lingered. Their gazes met and her saw hunger in hers, mirroring his own, without a sliver of doubt.

Sealing her lips with his own, he reached for the hem of her dress, bringing it up her body, his fingers traveling over her skin, teasing her, causing her to shiver.

He pulled the dress over her head, throwing it behind them carelessly, almost impatiently.

Placing his hand on her jaw, while keeping his other hand on her back, he connected their lips. His fingers were spread widely against her skin, pressing her closer to him.

Ethan trailed a path of hot kisses, starting on her lips, moving to her cheek, neck, where he made sure to bite her a couple of times, taking her by surprise, making her moan his name quietly, collarbone, reaching the gentle rise of her breast.

His facial hair was scratching her skin, causing her to shiver with a pleased sigh.

“Your stubble tickles.” She smiled, looking down at his face.

He leaned back, running his fingers along the curve of his chin, smiling ruefully.

“I should shave.” He kept his gaze on her face. She leaned forward, pressing a teasing kiss to his jaw. His head fell backwards a little, granting her easier access.

“I like it.” whispering, she leaned back, a subtle smile on her face.

With a sigh, he returned to his previous actions, pressing his lips where her bra met her skin, his stubble scratching her yet again, tingling and teasing her tantalizingly.

“What are you planning to do with me, now that those pesky clothes are out of the way?” she spoke, her words a little hard to understand, distracted with his ministrations.

Ethan leaned back, looking at his work. He seemed pleased with his results so far.

Her face was flushed, her hair was a little disheveled, her pupils blown wide with desire and anticipation.

He trailed his thumb over her cheek, going lower slowly, resting it on her swollen lips, the force of their kisses visibly impacting them.

She took his finger between her teeth, biting down on it gently, taking great pride and pleasure in the way he moaned under his breath, and the hungry look in his eyes, devouring her with his gaze.

“What do you want me to do with you, Claire?” he whispered, his eyes trained on her lips.

“Bring me to the window and show me the view…” she let go of his thumb before speaking, confidence in her voice.

A grin grew on his face as he offered her his hand. She took it, her hands letting go of him, as she allowed him to guide her to the wide window, high above the ground.

Ethan pulled her in front of him, his arms wrapping themselves around her shoulders from behind.

“How do you like it?” his lips were by her ear, touching her skin with every word.

“It’s beautiful.”

Lowering his head to her shoulder, he trailed a path of kisses up the column of her neck, reaching her ear again, catching her earlobe between his lips.

“It’s the best I’ve ever seen it.”

She could see his face, reflecting in the glass in front of them, a gentle smile grazing his lips.

One of his hands slid down from its current place, fingers dipping inside the cup of her bra. Teasing her skin, squeezing and pinching, rubbing and rolling it. She moaned softly, the idea of standing up straight becoming more and more ridiculous and impossible with every second.

“… don’t stop.”

“I don’t want to. I knew if we ever crossed this line, I’d never be able to come back from the edge.”

Admitting this to himself took a while. Admitting that there was a thing in his life that could make him so vulnerable. Admitting it to her, however, was the easiest thing her ever had to do. And the scariest, too. Because it came with a risk, and he was still learning that sometimes the risk was worth the prize.

His lips were playing with her earlobe, sucking and biting softly, while teasing her breast, relentlessly. His other hand made its way down her stomach, tickling the skin of her stomach, raising goosebumps in its wake, before slipping inside her panties.

Her head fell back against his shoulder, moaning loudly, her teeth sinking into her lower lip to muffle the sounds she was making.

His finger was moving in tantalizing circles, before moving to slip inside of her, pumping slowly. She was approaching her release, the sounds she was making becoming more desperate and needy.

Ethan pulled back, and before she could protest at the sudden stop of his actions, he grabbed her shoulders, spinning her around and pressing gently, leaning her against the cold glass pane.

He dropped to his knees, focusing his gaze on her panties, hooking his index fingers behind the sides of it, dragging it down slowly, placing kisses from one hipbone to the other. Once her underwear was taken care of, his hands grabbed her hips, keeping her in place, and his lips moved down, settling between her legs.

Claire gasped, the intense feeling clouding her mind. She looked down, only to find his eyes already on her, their gazes locking, his eyes a dark shade of blue, full of desire, pupils wide as he took in the sight of her getting closer and closer to her release.

Her hands reached down, tangling her fingers into his hair, pulling on it, the force increasing as his tongue worked her, licking her and delving inside.

She was panting quietly, her breathing heavy and uneven. He squeezed her hips, humming deeply, vibrations going through her, bringing her closer to the edge. Her mouth was hanging open, the sight of him, kneeling before her, paying so much attention to her and her only, almost too much to bear.

“Ethan… oh… “ she was whimpering as his tongue sped up, working relentlessly.

After a few seconds later, she came undone, crying out, her head falling back against the window. She tried to move her hips, but his hold was strong, keeping her in place. He was still kissing her flesh, moving his tongue, helping her ride the wave of pleasure that took over her completely.

She leaned back, breathing heavily, her eyes closed for a while longer. Ethan trailed his lips back up her body, paying attention to every part of skin he passed on his way back to her face. He was drinking in her face, laced with satisfaction and pure bliss.

Their eyes locked and she trailed her fingers down his arm, tangling their fingers together before tugging on it, pulling him towards the bed with a smile on her face. She felt resistance, which caused her to turn around, confused.

Ethan was hesitating again, but for all the different reason this time. Their eyes connected again, and she saw a silent question in his.

_He was asking for permission._

He was looking so insecure, so young, it melted her heart.

She leaned forward, kissing him softly, reassuringly, before trailing her hands to his hips. Her fingers unbuttoned his pants, pushing her fingers in a little, grabbing both the material of pants and his underwear, getting rid of both of them at the same time.

After helping him out of the garments, she stood up slowly, trailing her index finger up his leg, teasing his skin softly, making the muscles of his stomach contract, before standing up straight, looking into his eyes.

“I want to remember every moment of this.” she smiled widely, seeing his confidence back on his face.

“I would say the same… but how could I ever forget?” his murmured, placing his hands on her sides and sliding them to her back, finding the clasp of her bra and undoing it.

The garment fell apart and her took it off slowly, one strap, then another, before taking it away from her body, throwing it in the same direction as her dress.

His eyes trained on her breast, moving his palms to the front, focusing his attention on the newly uncovered part of her body.

“You’re so beautiful…” he whispered, looking back at her.

His hands leave her chest and grab onto her thighs again, lifting her easily, keeping her close to him as he moves across the bed, laying her down on it.

“I want it to be as special as you are.” His voice is filled with emotions, pure admiration for her.

He twined their fingers, pinning her hands to the bed on either side of her head. Kissing down her neck, he reached her chest, kissing and sucking on her breast, nipping at the skin.

Her lips were releasing high sounds of pleasure as she neared her release again, but just as she was about to fall over the edge, he pulled back, moving down her stomach.

“Ethan…”

“You sound frustrated, _Rookie._”

“That’s because I _am, _Ethan.”

“Patience is a virtue.” He grinned at her, looking up to see her face from behind his lashes.

Ethan returned to his ministrations, biting the skin of her stomach, reaching as far down as he could without losing his grip on her hands. He teased her relentlessly for a few more seconds, before deciding he couldn’t wait a moment longer.

Coming back up so that their faces were leveled, he kissed her lips softly.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I want this, Ethan. I want _you._”

She was looking at him with trust and confidence, giving her consent in any way possible.

He let go of her hands for a moment, telling her with his eyes to not move them. Reaching down, he guided himself to line up with her entrance.

Looking deeply into her eyes, he sank into her slowly, grabbing her hands again. A low sound escaped him as his face twisted in pleasure.

“Oh god, Ethan…” she moaned, moving along with him.

Their breaths synchronized, his head dipped forward, kissing her neck. Her head rolled back, giving him better access.

Claire wrapped her legs around his waist, changing the angle, taking him by surprise. Ethan groaned at the new sensation, encouraging him to pick up the pace.

Her grip on his hands tightened, her knuckles turning white from the force. He pressed their lips together, kissing her, softly at first, the intensity of their kisses increasing with every thrust of their hips against one another.

She rolled her hips, meeting his every movement, pulling him closer with her legs. Ethan was whimpering, small grunts escaping him, his face buried in her neck again, nipping on her collarbone.

Their movements were getting more and more impatient and desperate, so were their voices, building the tension, climbing higher and higher, until they snapped.

Ethan held onto her hands like a drowning man holds onto the lifeline. He pressed their foreheads together, their eyes locked as they cried out simultaneously, their relief and ecstasy crushing into them like a wave against the shore.

“Claire…” he whispered, smiling at her blissfully, as they came down from their high.

After a while he rolled to the side, pulling her with him, hugging her to his side, kissing her forehead tenderly. Neither said a word, relishing in the peacefulness of silence.

He dreamed of this exact moment many times, woke up in the middle of the night and found it impossible to get the image of her out of his mind.

Now, here he was, living his dream. The happiest he’s ever been. Satisfied and sated, complete. And yet, he couldn’t shake the uneasiness he felt creeping on the edge of his mind. He failed her. She trusted him to push her and to guide her in her career, and he failed her.

Almost as if she could read his mind, she spoke up.

“What’s wrong? Do you think this was a mistake?” she sounded so insecure all of the sudden.

_What?_ Where would she even get that idea?

“No. How could I? But… But time will tell. Because the truth is, I can’t help but feel like I’ve failed you.”

“How do you mean?” she asked softly, kissing the skin of his chest tenderly.

“When I first read your application to Edenbrook, I saw the most incredible potential. And then when I met you… I knew I’d been right, I knew you had it in you to be a brilliant doctor, if you just had someone to push you and challenge you.” he grew pensive as he recalled his mentor. “The way Naveen did for me. But I let you down. I tried not to let myself fall for you…”

_‘… and you made it impossible for me.’ _The words came to his mind.

“You didn’t let me down.” She interrupted his train of thoughts, hugging him closer, stroking his arm with her fingers.

“I did. I wanted to make you the best doctor you could be…”

She leaned up, silencing him with a tender kiss. He reacted immediately, kissing back slowly, relishing in the feel of her body against him, providing comfort for both of them.

“You did. No matter what happens… you did.” Claire whispered against his lips before laying back down, her head on the place where his hear was, beating, loud and fast.

He didn’t know how much time passed as they laid there. He noticed that time flew differently when he was with her.

“Are you ready for the hearing?” he asked, his voice soft and comforting.

“I have no idea.” She answered, burying her face into his chest, falling silent for a moment before continuing. “Will you be there? Even if you can’t testify?”

“Do you want me there?” surprise colored his voice.

“Yes.” Without missing a beat, she gave him the answer.

“Then I’ll be there. Just… don’t give up. Don’t you dare give up.” he hugged her to him, leaning down to press a kiss to her hair.

They fell asleep soon after, both spent but feeling safe in each other’s eyes.


	3. III

The morning came all too soon, which was a new feeling for him. This might have something to do with the fact that for the first time ever, he woke up not alone. When he was with Harper, they never spent the night in the same bed, so they never woke up together.

The feeling of Claire’s body wrapped tightly in his arms, safe in his embrace, all through the night, was comforting. What woke him up was the feeling of being watched.

He opened one eye, then another, looking to the side.

Claire was laying next to him, her head propped up on her arm, smiling softly at him.

“Rookie… what are you doing…?” his voice was laced with sleep, thick and low.

“I’m watching you sleep. You look so relaxed when you don’t have to worry about a thing.” She whispered, reaching her other hand to his face, brushing a lock of hair from his forehead.

“Didn’t your mother teach you it’s impolite to stare at people?”

“She might have mentioned something, but I was distracted…”

“Oh really? Doing what?” he teased, turning to look at her.

“Reading your books.” She said without missing a beat, gauging his reaction.

His eyes widened for a moment before realizing she was joking.

“Oh, Claire, _what I am going to do with you…_” he whispered, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him, hiding his face in her neck. His nose rubbed against her skin there, tickling her teasingly.

“How about I show you what _I can do with you?_” she said before detangling herself from his arms, throwing one leg over his hips, straddling him. Her hands rested on his chest, pushing him against the bed as she leaned forward to kiss him.

Ethan hummed in approval, giving in to the kiss, letting her take control, guide him as she liked. Claire bit his lip, pulling on it, drawing a low groan from him.

She grounded her hips into his, rolling them, going back and forth slowly. Her hands moved to his neck, then his hair, pulling him up against her, making him sit up a little. Ethan wrapped his arms around her, pulling her down against him, time and time again, helping her.

“Ethan, I want you…” she moaned against his lips, breathing heavily.

“Take me, then.” Their eyes locked for a short while before a glint of mischief passed her eyes.

She put her hands back on his chest, pressing him back against the bed. She raised her hips up, placing him at her entrance, teasing him, watching his face as he got impatient, whimpering softly.

Claire grinned at him, before leaning forward, her face so close to his she could feel his breath on her skin. Looking deep into his eyes, she asked.

“What do you want me to do, Ethan?”

“I want you to- ah!”

He gasped and groaned as she sunk down onto him, using her words to distract him from her actions. Pleased with herself, she leaned back, her hands back on his chest, using them as her leverage as she started to move, painfully slow, drawing out every moan and whimper he made, biting her lip in pleasure, closing her eyes.

“Claire… oh, Christ… uh…” he looked up on her seeing her naked body on top of him. They slept without clothes on, both too tired and too comfortable to move from bed. Now, he was grateful for their laziness the night before.

She was moving in a consistent pace, grinding her hips into his, moaning softly as she inched them both closer to the edge. His hands moved to her hips, helping her move, bringing her down against him, hard.

Her head fell back, her neck becoming exposed, eyes closed, lips upturned in ecstasy. A moment later she leaned back down, kissing him sensually, slowly, pulling him back up with her, bringing them closer.

A few thrusts later she was falling, crying his name out, not bothering to muffle her voice. Her release triggered his own, he grabbed onto her and held tightly, riding out his pleasure, helping her with her own.

They fell back against the bed, breathing heavily. She laughed as she rested her forehead against his chest, her hands flat against his shoulders.

“How did we manage to resist this for so long?” she mused, laughter still coloring her voice.

“I don’t know. But I’m glad it happened now.”

“Really? Why?” she leaned back to look at him, curiously.

“Because now I know for sure that I won’t be able to stop myself from having you again. And I don’t have to stop myself anymore.” He squeezed her hips softly, playfully, and she laughed again.

“I’m happy too, Ethan.” She whispered, hugging herself to him tightly.

\--------

After a while they managed to get up, neither in a hurry, since they both didn’t have to get to the hospital. Ethan suggested he takes her out fir breakfast, since there isn’t much in his kitchen that could be used to make something edible.

He led her to one of his favorite coffee spots, one near his apartment. They went out the door, the sun shining on them both. Ethan looked over at the woman next to him. She had her eyes closed, smiling as the sun warmed and enlightened her face.

He still couldn’t believe he finally did it. He gave in. Gave in to his desires, his needs, the calls of his heart. And it felt good. It felt right.

He reached out for her hand, squeezing it in his. She looked over, surprise written all over her features, before realizing what was happening, smiling and squeezing his hand back.

The coffee shop was quiet, not much people there. Ethan went to order for them while she went to the table. A few minutes went by, before he came back with their food, the delicious smell of fresh pastries filling her nose. She thanked him, taking a bite. Her face melted, eyes closing.

“Oh my god, I could kiss you right now.” she moaned, taking another bite.

He watched her amused, a soft smile on his face as he ate his own food. She really was something else, unlike any other woman he’s ever met. And he liked it.

“I won’t stop you.” he teased, leaning towards her. She smiled, leaning over the table to peck his cheeks softly, before sitting back down, a satisfied grin on her face. “That’s… that’s not what I meant.”

She laughed, picking up another piece of her food.

“Oh, believe me, I know. But you’ll have to work for it if you want it.”

“Really? And what would I have to do?” amusement was apparent on his face as he took her in.

“Well, you could start with giving me a taste of your breakfast, I am intrigued by your choice.”

He ripped off a chunk of his bagel, passing it to her, expecting her to just take it from him. Instead, she leaned forward, eating it straight from his fingers, looking straight into his eyes as her lips closed around the sweet pastry, the edges of her lips touching his fingers. His eyes widened for a second and she grinned.

She did that on purpose.

“That’s delicious. I approve of your choice.”

He cleared his throat, taking a deep breath to steady himself, before speaking again.

“Uh, is there something else you want me to do?”

“Yes. If you could get me some good coffee, that would be great. I need to be in the right state of my mind.” she smiled softly and he stood up, reaching with his hand to trace a finger across her cheek, before going to get them their drinks.

She watched as he interacted with other people. The muscles of his back were tensed, his posture stiff and polite. Keeping his distance from people he didn’t know or didn’t want to know.

Five minutes later, he came back, handing her the coffee, the smell of lemons hitting her as soon as she touched the paper cup.

“Thank you, Ethan.” She smiled sweetly, taking a sip before setting the cup down on the table.

“So, about that kiss you promised…” he asked, a hint of redness on his cheeks. She laughed at his flushed state, leaning towards him.

“Come here.” She whispered, inviting him closer.

He eagerly leaned towards her, expecting to be kissed, only to be fooled again, this time not as disappointed as the first time round, though. Her lips made contact with his neck, sucking on his skin there for a short moment, before leaning back again, watching his reaction.

His eyes were closed, lips slightly open.

“Claire…”

“I know, I know. Calm down. You’ll get it. Eventually.” She winked, going back to finish her food. He shook his head at her, joining her in her activity.

Five minutes later they went out of the coffee shop, side by side, coffee cups in their hands, as they prepared to say goodbye.

“I’ll be there, Claire. I promise.”

“I know you will. Actually…” she trailed her finger down his chest a little, before taking it back, looking into his eyes suggestively. “If you don’t have any other plans, you could come by my apartment in an hour or two. My roommates have late shifts today, no one would interrupt us…”

“You make a very convincing case, Dr. Herondale. I’ll see you in a few, then.” He smiled at her widely, taking in the sparkle in her eyes.

She leaned forward, grabbing his face with the free hand and pulling him down to kiss him. he reacted immediately, wrapping his arm around her to keep her close.

“I told you you’d get that kiss.” She said quietly before pecking him one last time and turning to go, looking over her shoulder right as she was about to turn the corner.

In not more than two hours he would see her again. And he already missed her.

\----------

He parked his car outside her apartment complex, the engine letting out the last sound before becoming quiet again. He leaned over to the passenger seat, a bouquet of white flowers laying there. He realized, with a curious smile, that he’s never been to her apartment, so he thought it was his duty to get her something along with the flowers. Opting for a knitted blanket he saw in one of the shops, he made a quick detour before going to see her.

She was living on the fourth floor, and he was grateful for the elevator, even though he knew, that for her, he would run up those stairs without even a sound of complain.

Knocking on the door, he expected to wait a moment, but they flew open after a few seconds. Her face peaked from behind them, lighting up when she saw him.

“Ethan!” she exclaimed, opening the door for him all the way, revealing the rest of her body.

She changed out of the dress she had on the previous night, now dressed in shorts and a blouse, her hair down.

“These are for you. And, uh, a little housewarming gift. I recall you said you wanted one of those, but didn’t know where to get it, and it caught my eye. I immediately thought of you…” he handed her the flowers and the bag. She took both of those things, leaning up to kiss his cheek softly, saying a quiet ‘thank you’ before walking to the kitchen, looking for a vase for the flowers.

“You’ve got a very nice apartment here.”

“Thank you.” she smiled at him, as she filled the glass with water placing the white lilies in it. “Do you mind grabbing that bag and walking with me to my room, I don’t want to drop the vase.”

He nodded, letting her lead the way. Her room was what he would expect from her, clean and not overdone, a balance between a place to work and a place to rest.

She put the flowers on her bedside table, leaning down for a moment to sniff them, a small smile on her face, before turning to look at him, her eyes on the bag.

“So, let’s see what we have in there, huh?”

Ethan was nervous as she reached into the bag, pulling out a soft, lavender blanket, small flowers made out of the same material, only in magenta color, were sawn onto it in different places.

“Oh my god, I love it so much! Thank you so much!” she placed it on her bed with care, before turning around to face him.

“I’m glad you like it.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers playing with his hair on the back of his head.

“Now I’ll have it to keep me warm, when I’m alone…” she said that with innocence in her voice, but he could read the intended meaning clearly.

“Don’t put those ideas into my head.” He warned her, his voice nothing more than a murmur, their faces closer and closer.

“And why is that?”

“Because if you do, we’ll never leave this room. I won’t be able to let you go.”

“Then don’t.” she whispered against his lips before closing the remaining distance between them, capturing his lips with hers in a kiss.

It started as a sweet peck on the lips, but the intensity of it quickly grew, as his arms wrapped themselves around her, pulling her up to him, his teeth pulled on her lower lip, making her gasp.

Ethan guided them to her dresser, right in front of the door, sitting her down on it. Standing between her legs, his arms trailed down them, his fingers teasing the bare skin there, reaching for her knees. Pulling her closer to him by her thighs, he wrapped her legs around him, making their intimate parts meet.

They both groaned at the contact, her head rolled to the side, allowing him to attack her neck with kisses, dragging his tongue along her skin.

“Ethan…” she whispered, her fingers tangling in his hair. Their activities from the night before and this morning told her how much he liked when she did that, she was not about to let a perfectly good chance to make him moan go to waste.

A low groan could be heard by her neck, as he lost the train of thoughts for a second, having to stop his actions to pull himself together again.

It was at this moment that none other than Landry Olsen decided to walk in, intending to say goodbye to Claire, even though he knew she probably won’t appreciate it.

What he expected was to see her with some book, researching her idea.

What he didn’t expect was to see her, wrapped tightly in Ethan Ramsey, both a panting mess. They turned towards him, annoyed that someone interrupted them. Ethan’s arms tightened around her, his eyes sending daggers in Landry’s way.

“Oh, um, s-sorry. I-I-I’ll go now. S-sorry.” He stuttered over his words, closing the door behind him quickly.

They looked at each other, confused, looking back at the door where a very scared and, it seemed, hurt. Their eyes locked again and they burst out laughing.

Claire hid her face in his neck, tears falling down her cheeks. Ethan was holding her close, his shoulders shaking as he grinned.

“That was a little hilarious, even though I am not all that thrilled that he interrupted us.” He said, amused. She was still laughing. “A penny for your thoughts?”

“I don’t know if you are aware of this, but Landry has been sabotaging me for the past few weeks. And when I confronted him, he told be that he works more, he is smarter, that I broke the rules, and that all I have is because you favor me. If I had to guess, he might have a crush on you.”

Ethan’s blood began boiling, but she pulled him into a soft kiss to calm him down.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I am telling you now. I wasn’t going to do anything about it, I figured it wasn’t worth it to waste the pretty good oxygen on him. But I think I just might have broken him seconds ago.”

Ethan wiped her tears from her cheeks, smiling at her.

“How so?”

“Oh Ethan, think about it for a second. Imagine… me.”

“I always do that, that’s not that hard.” He teased her, kissing her neck slowly. She almost gave in and let him distract her, but she stopped herself, swatting his arm playfully.

“Stop distracting me, the sooner I tell you about this, the sooner we can move on to our _other_ activities.” He leaned back with a sigh, looking at her with a grin in his eyes.

“The things I do for you… okay, tell me.”

“Imagine yourself in the following situation. You have a crush on me, you work with me and watch me from afar, you are shy and don’t know how to approach me. And then your friend gets close to me. And then you see me making out with your friend. Do you get it now?”

“I guess so. But I still don’t feel bad for him. He crossed all the lines, I have no words except for all the profanities, so let’s just leave it. Now, about that other activities…”

“Oh my god, do you think you’ll ever get enough?” she laughed at him.

He wrapped his arms around her, picking her up to move them to the bed.

“No. I’ve waited for so long to have you. I got you now, I’m not going to let you go anytime soon.”

He laid her down on the duvet and started leaning back to take a look on her, but she pulled him back in with her arms and her legs, making him fall on top of her.

“Claire, what are you doing?” he laughed, but concern laced his voice.

“You were too far. Now it’s perfect.” She snuggled into his chest, closing her eyes

They snuggled together, covered by the blanket he got for her, talking quietly as time went on, not concerning them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it <3  
-P


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